Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle
Small, long-endurance UAV used for reconnaissance since 2004.
The Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle is a small unmanned aircraft used for surveillance and reconnaissance, built by Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary. It operates at low altitudes for long periods. The design came from Insitu's earlier SeaScan, a commercial drone meant for locating fish. It has been in use since August 2004 during the Iraq War, and continues to be upgraded over time.
The ScanEagle carries a stabilized electro-optical or infrared camera on a lightweight turret, along with a communications system that works beyond 62 miles. It can stay in the air for over 20 hours. The aircraft has a 10.2-foot wingspan, is 4.5 feet long, and weighs 44 pounds. It can fly up to 80 knots, with a typical cruising speed of 48 knots. The Block D version added a higher-resolution camera, a custom Mode C transponder, and a new video system. One Block D aircraft set a flight endurance record of 22 hours and 8 minutes at Boeing's test range in Boardman, Oregon.
The ScanEagle does not need a runway. It launches from a pneumatic launcher called the "SuperWedge," patented by Insitu. Recovery uses the "Skyhook" system, where a hook on the wingtip catches a rope hanging from a 30- to 50-foot pole. High-quality differential GPS units on the pole and the UAV guide the catch. The rope is attached to a shock cord to soften the stop. NavtechGPS worked with the GPS receiver manufacturer to adapt the system for different environments, expanding mission capabilities. That GPS receiver design is still in use.
A complete ScanEagle system costs US$3.2 million (as of 2006) and includes four air vehicles, a ground control station, a remote video terminal, the SuperWedge launcher, and the Skyhook recovery system.
In March 2008, Boeing, ImSAR, and Insitu tested a ScanEagle carrying ImSAR's NanoSAR A radar. This synthetic aperture radar weighs 3.5 pounds and has a volume of 100 cubic inches, providing real-time ground imaging through bad weather or battlefield smoke.
In 2009, Insitu announced the NightEagle, a modified ScanEagle Block E with an infrared camera for night operations.
In August 2010, Boeing announced plans to control ScanEagles from E-3A AWACS aircraft and V-22 Osprey control stations.
In July 2011, two ScanEagles and another UAV worked together to autonomously search and navigate a mountain area.
Quick Facts
- National Origin
- United States
- Manufacturer
- Insitu
- First Flight
- 20 June 2002
- Introduction
- 2005 (U.S. Navy)
- Primary User
- United States Navy
- More Users
- United States Marine Corps / Royal Australian Navy / See Operators section for others
- Produced
- 2002–present
- Developed From
- Insitu SeaScan
- Developed Into
- Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The ScanEagle is a descendant of the Insitu SeaScan, which was conceived as a remote sensor for collecting weather data and helping commercial fishermen locate schools of tuna. It emerged from a strategic alliance between Boeing and Insitu, resulting in a portable Unmanned Aerial System for autonomous battlefield surveillance. The ScanEagle carries a stabilized electro-optical and/or infrared camera on a lightweight inertial stabilized turret system, with an integrated communications system having a range of over 62 miles and flight endurance of over 20 hours. Block D aircraft featured a higher-resolution camera, a custom-designed Mode C transponder, and a new video system; one Block D aircraft set a type endurance record of 22 hours, 8 minutes.
The ScanEagle requires no airfield for deployment. It is launched using a pneumatic launcher called the 'SuperWedge' and recovered using the 'Skyhook' retrieval system, which uses a hook on the wingtip to catch a rope hanging from a 30 to 50 foot pole. High-quality differential GPS units mounted on the pole and UAV enable this recovery. Each ScanEagle system costs US$3.2 million (2006) and comprises four air vehicles, a ground control station, remote video terminal, the SuperWedge launch system, and Skyhook recovery system. Improvements include the NightEagle variant with an infrared camera, the ScanEagle 2 with a heavy-fuel engine and larger nose, and the Flying Launch and Recovery System (FLARES) using a quadrotor UAV for vertical launch and recovery.
Reader's Guide
The ScanEagle entered service with the U.S. Navy in 2005 and has been used extensively by the United States military, as well as the Australian Army and the Canadian Government (leased). It has seen operational use in the Iraq War, the 2011 Libyan Revolution (Operation Unified Protector), and in counter-piracy operations, including the stand-off involving Captain Richard Phillips of the MV Maersk Alabama. The U.S. Coast Guard used a ScanEagle in May 2013 to assist in seizing over 1000 lb of cocaine in the eastern Pacific, marking the first time a UAV deployed from a Coast Guard cutter participated in drug interdiction. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducted test flights in 2008 and later used a ScanEagle to monitor seal populations in the Bering Sea. By July 2011, the ScanEagle had totaled 500,000 combat flight hours and over 56,000 sorties. In July 2013, it became one of the first UAVs granted FAA certification to fly in U.S. airspace for commercial purposes, with deployments planned for ConocoPhillips to scout for icebergs and count whales in Alaska. The ScanEagle 3 is reportedly ITAR-free, allowing sale without a U.S. Government weapons export licence.
Did You Know?
- The ScanEagle was used by the U.S. Navy during the 2011 Libyan Revolution in Operation Unified Protector.
- In July 2013, the ScanEagle became one of the first UAVs granted FAA certification for commercial flight in U.S. airspace.
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